Why begin with Praising God? It sets the tone for our time with God. Praising God for who He is, reminds us of God’s identity and reinforces our understanding of who He is. As we praise Him we become more aware of His power in the world and His presence in our lives. Beginning by praising God follows the examples found in the Bible. But, perhaps most importantly God is worthy of our praise!

More ideas for Praising God:

Praise Him by looking around for what you see that is attributable to God. Take a walk and look, really look around you, and praise God for the glorious creation all around you: “Lord, I praise You for the beauty of the sky, for the warmth of the sun, for bringing the sun up every morning and the moon out in the evening. I praise you for the beauty of the beach, for the little sandpipers that scurry along, for the individual beauty of millions of different seashells, for waves that consistently wash the shore, and for the sand on the beach. . . and to think that Your thoughts of me out number the millions of granules of sand (Psalm 139:18)! How I praise You God!”

Praise Him for what you read about Him in the Bible! Try reading one or more Psalms and praise God for how He is revealed. For example, from Psalm 25:1-5: “To you O Lord I do lift up my soul (and my voice)! It is only in You that I trust. I believe what Your Word says, that ‘No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame.’ Please show me Your ways and teach me Your paths. Give me the strength and courage to be obedient to Your Truth and Your teaching. For You are my God. You are my Savior. And You are my hope, today and tomorrow. In You, and You alone do I trust!”

One of my favorite places read in the Bible and praise God is in Revelation. I find that as I praise God as I read how we will praise Him when we see Him face to face. Try some of these passages from the book of Revelation: 1:4-8; 4:8, 11; 5:9-14; 7:10-17; 15:3-4; 19:1-8; 21:1-14, 21-27; 22:1-21.

Praise Him through music. If you’re musically inclined, compose your own psalm, a song that magnifies and glorifies the greatness of God!

Now don’t just sit there. . . use one of the ideas above and praise God!

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 29:11

God made two great lights– the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. (NIV) Genesis 1:16

. . .for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. (NIV) Psalm 50:10-11

‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (NIV) Haggai 2:8

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; (NIV) Psalm 24:1

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV) James 1:17

Who owns what? God owns it all. . . everything! There is nothing that exists that is not His. And because He owns it all, will you join me in praising Him. . .

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 29:11-14

To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? (NIV) Isaiah 40:18

All the World is God’s. . .

To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. (Deuteronomy 10:14 NIV)

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. (1 Chronicles 29:11 NIV)

The Lord, the LORD Almighty, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn– the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt– he who builds his lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land– the LORD is his name. (Amos 9:5-6 NIV)

‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (Haggai 2:8 NIV)

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:24-28 NIV)

The story of creation gives perspective to the Biblical story as a whole. And although Genesis 1 and 2 may appear to be different accounts of creation, they actually stand in a complementary relationship to one another as they reveal the supernatural and the personal natures of God.

Two different Hebrew names are used for God in the first 2 chapters of the Bible. . . “Elohim” in Genesis 1, which conveys the idea of power and transcendence. . . and “Yahweh” or “Jehovah” is used beginning in Genesis 2:4, which conveys the idea of mercy and compassion, implying His immanence and His personal concern for man. Therefore, when the 2 stories are viewed together, we see God who is transcendent over His creation (Genesis 1) . . . and God who is personally involved (immanent) in it (Genesis 2).

When was the last time that you saw God’s power demonstrated in your life? When you think about God does it bring a sense of awe of who He is? A deep reverence? How do you see God as an active presence in your life? How often during the day do you think about Him? Converse with Him?

The same God who had enough power to create and give life, has the power to change any circumstance, any impossible situation and any person! And the same God who was personally concerned with Adam and Eve, is actively concerned and involved in your life. He knows your past, your present and your future. He knows what you need right now. He knows your thoughts. . . and He still loves you with an everlasting love!

. . . and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. (NIV) Revelation 4:2

The “someone” sitting on the throne in Heaven is God. He sits on the throne and reigns over all creation. Whether or not you acknowledge that God sits on the throne doesn’t change His position. He is in control! With His position comes authority. . . the authority to enforce His commands and guidelines. . . the authority to judge mankind, to judge sin. He creates all things, He gives life and takes life. He is completely holy and therefore doesn’t tolerate sin. And He is eternal. God has been sitting on the throne of the universe since the beginning of time. . . He sits there now. . . and He will sit there in the future.